Take Your Hand in Mine
by Danae1
Summary: A ficlet mainly about Minerva and Hagrid, set in their school days. Hagrid is about to be expelled, and Minerva has something to say about it...


1 Put Your Hand in Mine  
  
The Story Behind The Pink Umbrella  
  
1.1 By Danae, Mother of Perseus  
  
A/N:I really enjoyed this little break from my other story, The Loneliest Season. For those of you who have been waiting patiently for the next chapter, I've decided to re-do the entire thing. But the first chapter should be out soon. Anyways, please review and tell me if I should continue this story, I think it might be a series, maybe even Hagrid/Minerva later on. Let me know, and in the meantime, enjoy!  
  
Minerva McGonagall walked rapidly to the Headmaster's office, nearly plowing over a group of first-years that were in her path. ("Get back to your common rooms, you shouldn't be out at this hour!") The way she was feeling right now gave new meaning to the phrase, "so mad you can't see straight." How can the Headmaster do this?, she thought As she mulled over what that Riddle kid had said and how he had gloated, her anger increased.  
  
Finally reaching the stone gargoyle, she spat out the password as if the words left a bad taste in her mouth. "Rules are rules." What irony. Shaking with barely suppressed rage and indignation, she knocked on the door a little louder than she would have normally.  
  
When she didn't get a reply, she stalked in and deftly slammed the door with a backwards wave of her hand. Headmaster Dippet's eyebrows shot up.  
  
"I'm rather busy right now, Miss Mcgongall, dealing with a student." His eyes narrowed in the direction of a thirteen-year-old Rubeus Hagrid sitting in front of his desk. Next to Hagrid was Professor Dumbledore, his bright blue eyes dark with worry. At the mention of Minerva's name, Hagrid turned around to look at her in bewilderment. Six feet and seven inches tall with hands the size of large textbooks, Minerva saw pleading in his large black eyes. Don't worry Hagrid, I'll do my best to save you.  
  
"If you would be so kind as to wait outside--"  
  
"This cannot wait, Headmaster," she said through gritted teeth. "Tom Riddle was just bragging his pretentious, selfish arse off about how he's gotten Hagrid expelled. He refused to tell me why, however. Headmaster, please tell me this is some sort of sick joke." If it was merely a joke she was personally going to punch Tom Riddle, and she would do it gladly if it meant that Hagrid's future was not in danger.  
  
"No it is not a joke. Rubeus is to be expelled. He was just leaving to go pack his trunk." He glared at Hagrid, who started to cry, something very unlike him to do. Hagrid, though a sensitive boy, never cried, and Minerva felt a sharp pang of pity in her heart. She walked over to him and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
1.2 "And just why, may I ask, have you expelled him?"  
  
"Miss McGonagall, you may ask all you like, but I won't answer you. Being Head Girl does give you certain privileges, but you are stepping out of line."  
  
Her eyes looked steely and determined, she seemed to radiate subtle power and authority, something neither Hagrid nor Dumbledore had never seen in her before. "No, Headmaster, you are out of line," Minerva snapped. "Hagrid is one of the sweetest boys I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and in all his three years here I don't think he has ever lost a point for Gryffindor house. I refuse to believe that he has done anything that merits such a harsh punishment." She crossed her arms defiantly. "I wish to know what is going on."  
  
Dippet shook his head. "Miss McGonagall, the details of this matter are strictly confidential. Even if I wanted to tell you, the truth might be too horrific."  
  
Minerva snorted scornfully. "Try me."  
  
Dippet's face was turning red. "Miss McGonagall you are trying my patience," he said sharply. "This is most certainly none of your concern." Professor Dumbledore looked to Dippet. "Sir, though she has not approached you in the best way"—his eyes shot a stern glance at her—"surely it couldn't hurt to give Minerva the details of the affair. She is Head Girl, after all, and knows how to be discreet."  
  
Dippet sighed. "Since you insist. However I warn you, this information is not to leave the room." He steepled his fingers in front of him. "You are aware, of course, of the attacks that have been occurring of late?" Minerva nodded impatiently.  
  
"Hagrid harbored a giant spider in one of the cupboards of a classroom against school rules. We believe this monster to be the perpetrator of the attacks. Though I do not believe Rubeus intended for anyone to be hurt, he shall be expelled for this obvious disregard for other student's safety."  
  
Minerva was having a difficult time staying calm. "Just how do you know that this is so, Headmaster? What is your evidence?" Minerva ignored the discreet warning looks Dumbledore was trying to convey to her.  
  
Dippet looked very affronted to have his methods questioned by a teeneager, but he still answered her question. "I was informed by young Thomas Riddle that he had caught Hagrid in the act of trying to sneak out the monster. Hagrid must have realized that his monster was the cause of the attacks and was trying to get rid of it to save himself from blame." Minerva noticed that Hagrid winced every time Dippet referred to the creature as a "monster".  
  
In her eyes flickered a tiny spark of shock, quickly replaced by anger. "Do you mean to tell me that you are expelling Hagrid for something which you have no evidence besides the word of a lying, cheating, pompous prick like Tom Riddle?" She was going a little overboard on the adjectives, she knew, but she was still seething from her breakup just minutes before.  
  
Dippet stood quickly, red in the face. "Hold your tongue! Tom is a perfectly nice, studious, and rule-abiding young man. He is a prefect. A student has died, Miss McGonagall, and action must be taken to see that no one else does. And might I remind you, Miss McGonagall, that I have been Headmaster here for over twenty years (Minerva muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "twenty years too long") and I do not need to explain my actions to a seventeen-year-old girl!"  
  
"Might I remind you, Headmaster, that Hagrid's father died just this past summer; he has nowhere to go! By expelling him you will be tossing Hagrid into the streets. How can you be so heartless?" At this, Dippet seemed to squirm a little, and he did not answer.  
  
Dumbledore, who had been witnessing the exchange between Minerva and Dippet with near amusement, finally spoke. "Minerva, I know you feel strongly about this, but Headmaster Dippet is not just going to toss Hagrid into the streets. I have persuaded him to let Hagrid stay on and help old Maury as assistant gamekeeper."  
  
Minerva was not finished. Her usually dull sea-blue eyes were on fire with righteous anger. "Headmaster, you are making a terrible mistake. You are afraid for your job and reputation because of these attacks, and so you are willing to blame an innocent boy. Did you even stop to think about the facts of the case? No, you didn't. Because anyone with a gram of sense about them knows that Acromantualas do not Petrify their victims. Basilisks do. However, you don't care about the truth, Headmaster, so why should I waste my theories on you? Good evening." She turned on her heel to leave, but stopped.  
  
"Will his wand be…snapped?" She winced.  
  
Dippet sniffed haughtily. "Of course. Do you think I would let an underage wizard keep his wand if he is not to be allowed magical training? He will be officially expelled tomorrow at breakfast; his wand will be snapped then."  
  
"In front of the entire school!" she screeched. "That is the last straw, Headmaster. I can't save Hagrid from being expelled, but I can and will save him from this cruel mortification. Hagrid, give me your wand."  
  
Dippet was shocked at being spoken in such a manner. "Miss McGonagall what are you doing?"  
  
Hagrid, who had been watching Minerva with unwavering admiration and gratitude, now eyed her with fear. "What--what are you going to do, Minnie?"  
  
Minerva softened her tone. "Hagrid, please trust me. It's better this way." Hagrid bit his lip and reluctantly handed her his wand. Minerva took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she whispered.  
  
With one quick movement, she brought the thirteen-and-a-half inch mahogany wand down across her knee with a sickening crack. Hagrid began to cry again. Minerva brought him to his feet, and with her arm linked in his, she led him out the door.  
  
Dippet shook with fury. "Miss Mcgonagall you have just--"  
  
"Saved you from humiliating an innocent boy in front of the entire school. Good day, Headmaster." Minerva left, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Dippet strode over towards the door in rage, but Dumbledore was quicker. "Sir, I know you are upset at the disrespect Minerva has shown you today. Might I remind you, however, that she was reacting emotionally and irrationally, in defense of a friend. Also, since I assume you wish for her to be punished for her insolence to you, I will personally give her two weeks of detentions." Dippet opened his mouth to say something, but since he found nothing objectionable in Dumbledore's proposal, he simply nodded and returned to his desk.  
  
***  
  
Minerva led Hagrid, still sniffling, down the staircase and down the hallway, before dragging him into an empty classroom. Minerva looked at him sorrowfully, all traces of her anger gone. "I'm so sorry I had to do that, Hagrid. I hope you can understand and forgive me?"  
  
Hagrid pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "Thank yeh, Minnie. I woulda' died of embarrassment if it weren't fer yeh." Minerva gasped. "Hagrid…need…air."  
  
Hagrid let her go quickly. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.  
  
She smiled. "It's alright." She held out his broken wand. "Would you like to keep the pieces?" Hagrid nodded and took them gratefully. "Wish I coulda' done one last spell," he said wistfully.  
  
Minerva looked at him thoughtfully. "Perhaps you still can."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said perhaps you still can. All I'd need to do is…hmm." She trailed off, frowning. She looked up. "I'd like to try something, Hagrid. Do you trust me?"  
  
He put the wand back in her hands and gave her a grin. "Completely." She smiled back.  
  
"The core isn't broken, look." She pointed to the now visible bluish-black dragon heartstring. "All I need to do is find some way to connect the wood, and then transfigure it into something else. Like a quill, or even a ruler."  
  
Hagrid's eyes lit up. "Really?"  
  
Minerva nodded. "I think so. Shall we give it a try?" Hagrid nodded. "Alright then, help me find some Spello-Tape." She laid Hagrid's wand on a desk at the front of the room, and they both rummaged through cupboards and desk drawers until Hagrid called out, "Got some!" He held the pieces steady while Minerva carefully wrapped it around the break, and then put it back on the desk. "Alright, here goes," she said, pointing her wand at Hagrid's.  
  
A shot of golden light came from her own wand and surrounded Hagrid's. Minerva frowned in concentration, and then finally let the beam stop. She picked up the wand and unwrapped the tape to reveal a healed wand.  
  
Hagrid stared wide-eyed, hardly daring to believe it. "Now watch this," Minerva said. A beam of pink light came from her wand, and where Hagrid's wand had been there was now a pink umbrella. She handed it over to Hagrid with a self-satisfied smile on her face, not noticing Hagrid's disappointed look. "It's pink!" he protested.  
  
"So? Pink is a very nice color," she said, a little miffed.  
  
"Fer a girl maybe it's a nice color, but not fer me. I'll look like a pansy!" Minerva glared defensively. "Well I can't help it; pink is my favorite color and everything I transfigure somehow ends up some shade of it."  
  
Hagrid grinned. "I'm just teasin' yeh. Thanks, Minnie." Minerva smiled. "You're welcome." She glanced at her watch. "Oh my! Look at the time, and we have so much to do." She headed towards the door.  
  
Hagrid followed. "What are yeh talkin' about, Minnie?"  
  
"Well this is your last night as a student isn't it? We'd better make it a special one. Come on." She held out her delicate, female hand to him, and without hesitation Hagrid enveloped it in his, tanned from the sun and calloused from hard work. "Okay."  
  
A greater contrast there never was before, as the thirteen-year old half- giant towered over his companion, a girl four years his senior, and with their hands entwined, they walked through the door.  
  
  
  
To be continued? 


End file.
